The European project Neohire was launched to reduce Europe’s dependence on China when it comes to manufacturing the magnets that are needed for numerous indispensable devices in our technological era, from electric generators to computers, electric motors, headphones and speakers. The magnets used in these devices all contain the same three elements: neodymium iron and boron, with China controlling nearly all of the production of the first element.

Given the growth in electromobility, robotics, and sensorization in the work place and in cities, demand for this type of magnet is expected to increase exponentially over the next decades. Experts from Ceit, Indar, Fraunhofer and other European research centers and companies will present their innovations in electric machine design and in magnet production technologies, fruit of their three years of collaboration.

In order to reduce both the consumption of rare earth elements and dependence on China, the European project Neohire has designed electric machines that make more efficient use of the magnetic material. In addition, the project made improvements to processes for recycling magnets at the end of their useful life.